Search Underway After Woman Was Run Off the Highway and Sexually Assaulted for Hours

A Virginia woman’s attacker remains at large after police say he ran her off the highway Monday and then sexually assaulted her in a ditch for more than two hours, PEOPLE confirms.

The attack began sometime between 2:45 a.m. and 3:15 a.m., when the woman was hit by a dark-colored SUV while driving on a highway in Stafford County, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C., authorities say.

Authorities are asking the public for help in identifying the suspect in the attack, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman described him as Hispanic, approximately 30 years old, with black hair and a short black beard. He was about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed approximately 175 pounds, she said.

The woman told deputies she never saw the vehicle prior to the crash, which caused her car to spin out of control, according to authorities. When her car stopped, the victim found herself on the shoulder of the road.

The woman was then “dragged” from her car and assaulted, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

The victim told deputies that once her attacker was finished, he got back into his car and drove off.

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Office of Stafford County Sheriff

Office of Stafford County Sheriff

The victim said that when the man was out of sight, she got up and walked back to her car to call 911. Deputies arrived on the scene moments later.

When he attacked her, the victim told deputies, he was wearing light blue jeans with a sleeveless tank top under an orange, blue and white plaid shirt, which was left at the scene.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4400, text “Stafford” + tip to 274637 (Crimes) or submit your information online here. There is a $1,000 reward.